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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · prune · patient · leaves · game · stock · key · bass

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bass — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stock — shares
  12. prune — to trim
  13. game — a match
  14. bass — low music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com